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Chemico-oceanographical parameters of the Central North Pacific Ocean

Data from the Surveyor 1968 Spring cruise were used to study
the vertical distribution of salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen,
apparent oxygen utilization, pH, alkalinity, specific alkalinity and
percent saturation of calcite in two sections, one along 162°W from
35°N to 45°N and the other along 180°W from 35°N to 50°N. Data
from this cruise and additional data from the Surveyor 1968 Fall
cruise, YALOC 66 cruise (summer) (Barstowetal, , 1968) and
Boreas cruise (winter, 1966) (SIO reports, 1966) were used to study
the distribution of salinity, temperature, apparent oxygen utilization,
preformed phosphate and depth on the sigma-t surfaces of 26.8 and
27.3 in an area between 35°N and 52°N and 162°W and 155°E.
In both sections the vertical distribution of the physico-chemical
parameters is such that in general there is a tendency for the isograms
to slope upward from south to north following the same trend
of the sigma-t surfaces. This indicates that mixing and advection
along the sigma-t surfaces play an important role on the distribution
of these parameters.
AOU data from YALOC 66 cruise (summer) compared to that
from Surveyor 1968 Spring cruise suggest that aeration by mixing,
eddy diffusivity and conductivity takes place to more than 500 meters
depth at about 50°N. It also suggests that the changes of organic
primary production at the euphotic zone during different seasons of
the year may affect to a great extent the AOU distribution on the
26.8 sigma-t surface and to a very small extent on the 27.3 sigma-t
surface.
The direction of flow suggested by the AOU distribution on the
26.8 and 27.3 sigma-t surfaces was compared to that indicated by
the acceleration potential contours on the S[subscript t] = 125 cl/ton and S[subscript t] =
80 cl/ton surfaces drawn by Reid (1965). The disagreements were
explained in terms of mixing and possible gradients of primary
production at the sea surface. On the 26.8 sigma-t surface a
southward flow connecting the westward flow south of the Aleutian
chain and the eastward flow farther south, between 175°E and 180°W
is suggested by the AOU distribution but not by the acceleration
potential contours. If the circulation pattern at this density
surface is similar to that at the sea surface, this linkage is very
likely to be real. / Graduation date: 1970

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/29375
Date04 May 1970
CreatorsAlvarez-Borrego, Saul
ContributorsPark, P. Kilho
Source SetsOregon State University
Languageen_US
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis/Dissertation

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